Machine for packing powder



(No Model.) Y V 5 Sheets-Sheet L. I J. MGNAB.

' MACHINE FOR PACKING POWDER.

No. 593,902. Patented Nov. 16,1897.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. Mc-NAB.

MACHINE FOR PACKING POWDER.

No. 593,902 Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

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' (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. MoNAB; MACHINE FOR PAGKING POWDER.

No. 593,902. Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

WITNESSES: I Q [NI/EH70]? A TTORNE Y8.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

. J. MoNAB.

MACHINE FOR PAGKING POWDER.

No.-593,902. Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

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ATTORNEYS.

z NDRRIS Farms 00., PNOTO-LITHO,WASHINGTON, n. c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

"MACHINE FOR PACKING POWDER. N0."-593,9 02. v Patented Nov. 16, 1897.

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WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

. JAMES MCNAB, or cAroNsvILLE, MARYLAND.

MACHIN E i-0R PACKING POWDER.

fiPEGIFlZGATION-forhaing part "of LettersPatent No. 593.9(52, dated November 16, 1897. Application filed mat 2 '9, 1l39'7.; sash No. 629,720. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

ing at Oatonsville, in the county of Baltimore and State ofMaryland, have inventeda new and Improved Machine for Packing Powder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a machine for packing powder and especially for packing baking-powder in superposed layers, whereby alternate layers of acid and carbonated alkali may be provided and packed in boxes or other suitable receptacles; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be 'hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims. i

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, of my apparatus. Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the hopper removed. Fig.4 is a detail view showing the carriage and divider. Fig. 5 is a section on about line 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail cross-section of the belt. Fig. 7 is a cross-section on about line 7 7, Fig. 2. Fig. Sis a detail sectional perspective showing parts of the carrier-belt, the stepped retaining-plate, and the deliveryplate; and Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views illustrating the gate.

It is well known that baking-powders as now commonly constituted by mixing the acid and alkali together quickly deteriorate when exposed to the air, and ithas also been found that if the acid and carbonated alkali be arranged in layers or portions in contact at one side a layer or stratum or film of a neutral chemical salt will be formed between them in such manner as to prevent any deterioration such as would result if the acid and alkali were mixed.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide for laying the powders, alkali, and acid in layers side by side or one upon the other in such proportionsas may be desired in an accurate and expeditious manner.

In carrying out my invention I provide a suitable frame A, which supports a belt or carrier B, which is movable longitudinally through a hopper O and cooperates with a traveling carriage D, having a divider E, as will be more fully described. The carrier/is rollers or pulleys F F, and such belt has flexible edge portions B, which may be turned up as the belt passes through the hopper, forming a trough-like receptacle for the powders. In providing these flexible edge portions I .make the belt with a main or thickened portion I) and arrange the edge portions B to project beyond the main part b and secure such resultpreferably by making the belt in layers and increasing the number of layers at its middle portion, as shown. This forms a simple inexpensive belt, in which the middle portion, being thickened, serves to keep such part in shape and the'edge portions may be readily turned up to form the trough. This belt travels as motion is communicated to one or both of its pulleys through the hopper, and its edge portions are turned up and held in such upturned position by means of the guide-boards G, whose front edges incline or slope down in advance of the hopper at g and serve to gradually turn the edge portions of the belt to bring the same to an upright positionbeforetheypassintothehopper. When they reach such upright position, the edge portions '13 fit beneath the retaining-plates H, which overlap such portions B during their passage through the hopper. These plates H are stepped at h, one step being provided for each hopper-chamber and corresponding in height to the layer or accumulated layers which the belt receives before it passes from such chambers, the retainingplates being thereby so formed as to avoid any interference with the layers feeding out of the hopper-chambers and being the full width of the space between the upright portions of the trough-belt, as will be understood better when the hopper-chambers are fully described.

It will be understood that my machine may be employed for packing powder in single layers, and when such result is desired but a single hopper-chamber will be required; but it is preferred to provide for laying the powder in layers, one upon the other, and to this end I provide a plurality of hopper-chambers I J in succession, the belt or carrier being passed through said hopper and receiving powder successively therefrom. While this V preferably an endless belt passed around Be it known that I, JAMES MCNAB, residlayer arrangement of acid and alkali may be effected by two hopper-chambers, it is preferred to employ two chambers I and two chambers J, the chambers I containing the acid and the chambers J the alkali, and the outlets 2' and j of said chambers are in alinement and each outletis made as much higher than the next preceding one as the layer to be discharged from said outlet is thick. By this-construction as the belt passes through the hopper-chambers it will receive a layer from the first hopper-chamber. It will then receive upon such layer another layer from the second-chamber and so on until it has passed from the hopper. In this connection it will be noticed that the steps of the plates for retaining the upturned edges B of the belt coincide with the outlets of the several hopper-chambers.

The outlets of the several chambers are made adjustable, and this is preferably effected by means of separate plates K, carried by upright bars 75, fitting in grooves in the outlet-partitions 7c of the hopper-chambers and adjustable by means of nuts k cooperating with brackets through which the upright bars 70 are passed. By this construction it will be seen that when the belt or carrier passes from the hopper there will be provided thereon powder in layers of the desired thickness, one upon the other, and such layers will be divided subsequently and filled in the boxes, as presently described. To prevent any arching of the powder in the several hopper-chambers, I provide in each chamber an agitator L, having a rocking shaft Z, such shafts being connected with a crank L 011 one of the driven shafts so such agitators will be operated with each movement of the belt.

In one of the hopper-chambers after the first one of such chambers I provide a blind compartment or chamber M, leading down to the layer of powder that may be passing through such chamber. This blind compartment serves two purposes. First, it serves as a sight-chamber by which the flow of the powder may be seen and it may be determined whether the machine is operating properly. It also serves to permit the escape of air, which results in a better working of the apparatus, as I have found in practice that the machine works better and delivers the layers with more certainty and accuracy when this blind compartment is used than when it is omitted, and for such reason I prefer to use the said compartment.

The carriage D slides back and forth on guides D, which extend alongside the rear end of the guide-plates G, and the said carriage extends over the belt and layers of powder thereon and supports the divider E,which projects over the belt and is formed with the front blade E, a connecting-plate E and a rear blade E the latter being preferably held to and sliding up and down on the carriage D and the connecting portion E being fixed to the blade E and having the blade E fixed at its front end so the said blades E E and the connecting portion E will move up and down together. This divider E is so connected with the operating mechanism and the latter with the carriage that in operation the divider is first moved down or up and the carriage with such divider is then advanced or retracted, and this is preferably effected by providing, in connection with the divider, a vertical rack E meshed by a gear-wheel M on a shaft l\l,which shaft also has a pinion Miwhich is meshed by a rack-segment N on a rocking arm N which plays between two stops N N preferably adjustable, as shown, so the said arm N may be first rocked to set the divider up or down, and the carriage will then be retracted or advanced, as desired. The blades are made of a length somewhat less than the layers of powder discharged from the hopper so the connecting portion E will operate to give the desired compression to the powder as the divider is forced down before such powder is introduced into the box or package.

In operating the rocking arm and through it the carriage I provide a pitman N, which connects said arm with a crank N on one of the driven shafts. In order that the carriage may be moved in proper relation to the belt or carrier, I provide a pawl 0, connected with and operated from the carriage and engaging a ratchetvheel O in connection with the pulley F of the belt. By this construction the belt will be advanced as the carriage and divider are moved forward, and the motion of the belt will cease on the return movement of the carriage and divider. From the foregoin g it will be seen in operation that the divider in its uppermost position when the carriage is retracted will in operation be first forced downward, dividing a portion of the proper length to fill a box, and the carriage with such divider will be forced forward to the deliverypoint over a plate I, whose edge 1) lies close to the belt so the powder can pass freely onto the plate P. IVhen the carriage with its divider has reached such advanced position, the operating mechanism will bythe reverse movement of the rocking arm, consequent upon the revolution of the shaft, lift the divider above the layer and carry such divider with the carriage back to starting-point, leaving the divided charge 011 the delivery-plate I. A box is now slipped over such plate P and the charge of powder thereon, and the next advance movement of the divider will, by its plate E, operating as a plunger, force the box and the charge contained therein off the deli very-plate and bring anew charge on such plate in position to receive a box, the operation continuing so on.

Manifestly the machine may be geared for power in the manner shown or in any other suitable manner desired.

a carrier-belt having a main or central portion and flexible edge portions made thinner than and extended from the lower edges of the main portion at the opposite sides thereof substantially as shown and described.

3. In a machine substantially as described, a carrier-belt having a central or main portion and flexible edge portions made thinner than and adapted to be turned up at the opposite sides of the said main portion, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a machine substantially as described a carrier composed of a plurality of layers of material one layer being wider than the other or others and extending at both edges beyond the same forming portions adapted to be upturned and cooperating with the intermediate portion in forming a trough substantially as described.

5. The combination substantially as described of the hopper-chambers, the belt having edge portions adapted to be upturned, the guide-plates for said upturned edge portions and the retaining-plates overlapping the said edge portions and stepped, substantially as shown and described.

6. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination of the hoppers, the outlet .of each being higher or extended above the preceding one, the carrier, and the retainin g-plates lying within said carrier and below the hoppers said plates being stepped substantially as described.

7. In a machine substantially as described the combination with a belt or carrier of a double-bladed divider adapted to travel with the belt while acting upon the material and having above the blades an intermediate plate by which to compress the divided charge, substantially as shown and described.

8. A machine for packing powder compris-- ing the belt or carrier, the carriage movable in the direction of length of the carrier, the divider havingtwo blades and-movable up and down in said carriage operating means and a movable connection between the same and the carriage whereby the operating means may raise and lower the divider and may reciprocate the divider substantially as shown and described.

9. A machine, substantially as described comprising the belt or carrier, the carriage movable in the direction of movement of said carrier, a divider supported on said carriage and having two blades and operating mechanism including devices for intermittently advancing the carrier with the corresponding movement of the carriage substantially as shown and described.

10. A machine substantially as described comprising the hoppers having their outlets or discharges arranged successively higher, the trough-shaped belt-carrier operating beneath said hoppers, the stepped retainingplates lying within said trough-shaped belt and the divider and its carriage substantially as described.

11. In a machine substantially as described, the combination of the longitudinally-mow able carriage, a divider movable on said earriage, a rocking arm supported on and movable with and independently of the carriage and engaging the divider, said arm being arranged to rock in the direction of movement of the carriage, and means for operating the said arm substantially as shown and described.

' 12. A machine substantially as described comprising a belt or carrier, a carriage reciprocating along the same, a divider carried by and movable up and down on said carriage, a rocking arm pivoted to said carriage and geared with the divider and the operating mechanism connected with the arm whereby to first operate the divider and then reciprocate the carriage, substantially as described.

13. A machine substantially as described, comprising the bolt the pulleys supporting the same, a ratchet in connection with one of said able along the same a divider supported by and movable up and down on the carriage and provided with a rack, a shaft having a gear meshed with said rack, and a pinion, an arm pivoted between its ends and having a segment meshing said pinion, and a pitman connected with said arm, substantially as shown and described.

15. A machine substantially as described, comprising the belt or carrier, the carriage movable with and independently of said carrier and provided with the divider and the delivery-plate arranged at oneend adjacent to the belt or carrier and spaced at its other end slightly apart from the belt whereby a box may be slipped over such end, substantially as described.

16. A machine substantially as described comprising the endless belt-carrier having flexible edge portions adapted to be upturned, the hopper chambers, the guide plates by which to upturn the edges of the carrier, the vided in connection therewith, and a carrier carriage moving with and independent of the coiiperating with said hopper-chambers, sub- 10 belt-carrier the divider carried by said carstantially as'shown and described. ria e and 0 )eratin means substantiall as T 5 des cribed itl ld show n. 7 y JAMES MOB 17. A machine substantially as described, Vitnesses: comprising a plurality of hopper-chambers, a GEO. B. BURROWS, blind chamber or compartment being pro- J. HENRY STROHMEYER. 

